will.i.am ill for The Voice UK final

Will.i.am is suffering from bronchitis.

The 40-year-old star is set to take to the stage on 'The Voice UK' this evening (04.04.15) to duet with his only act left in the competition Lucy O'Byrne, but has revealed the performance could become a nightmare because of a severe chest infection.

He admitted: "I'm ill.i.am right now. I got a cold and it turned into something worse.

"I've got a bronchial infection. It's really bad. It could affect my performance, that's the sad part of it all."

However, Will - who coaches alongside Sir Tom Jones, Rita Ora, and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson - is insistent about continuing with the performance, despite having minimal chance to practise.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he continued: "When you're touring you get sick on the road. I've performed sick before. All you can do is be open and honest."

The news comes just a week after 'I Will Never Let You Down' hitmaker, Rita, was left in floods of tears after her only two acts left in the competition were voted out by the public.

Sir Tom said: "Rita was gutted. She said 'what have I done wrong?' It is a big thing, especially for someone new like that.

"The singers she had were gutted too, so there were three people crying in the hallway.

"When you do it that well and the people you put your faith in don't make the final, that is a blow. I hope it doesn't put her off.